The 4th and beyond.

I hope everyone had a lovely 4th of July, I found myself across the street at my friend and neighbors home having some amazing tacos and burritos.  I didn't bother to check and just made a tart for the occasion along with lil' smokies in grape jelly and chili sauce.  The tart is easy and really good so I thought I would share the recipe and also share the latest batch of crafty goodness that my same neighbor friend and I engaged in just a weekend or two ago.

First the recipe I made it from a book called: "Land O Lakes Treasury of Country Recipes"  I have used this book many, many times over the years and I love everything I have made from it.  I kidnapped this book from my mother's book case of cook books and have never looked back (she never used it anyways).  This edition was printed in 1992 the tart I made can be found under the section titled : Desserts, Cakes & Pies on Page 401.

Starts & Stripes Tart


Crust:

1 Cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 Cup sugar
2 1/2 Cup all-purpose flour
1/3 Cup milk

Filling:
3 3oz cream cheese, softened (I could not locate the 3 oz size so bought 2 f the 8 OZ with many bagles in mind)
3/4 Cup powdered sugar
1 Tsp grated orange peel
1 Tbsp orange juice

Topping:
1 Pt strawberries, hulled. sliced or * raspberries or alternate favorite fruit: kiwi, mandarin orange segments, pineapple, ect.
1/2 Pt blueberries
1/4 Cup apple jelly, melted

Heat oven to 400F. In a large mixer bowl combine butter and sugar.  ( I use the pastry cutter first before I break out my mixer, got to give the old girl a break now and again)
Beat at med. speed, scraping bowl often, until light and fluffy (1 to 2 min). Add flour and milk; beat at low speed until well mixed. press dough on bottom and 1/2" (ish) up sides of baking pan.  Prick bottom with fork.  Bake for 14 to 18 min. or until lightly browned.  Cool.
In small mixer bowl combine all filling ingredients; beat at med. speed, scraping bowl often, until light and fluffy.
*Careful to fend off husbands and boys during this step, fingers will be wanting to sample.
"Mom are there any eggs in this?"
"No"
"Can I try it?"
"Okay"
"Mmmmmmmmmmm"

 Spread over top of cooled crust. (see above crust not cooled) Spread over top of cooled crust.  Refrigerate 1 hr. or until firm.

Just before serving, arrange fruit on filling in design of American flag using strawberry slices for stripes and blueberries for stars.  Brush fruit filling with melted apple jelly.  I made an alternate design, I didn't want to just have pieces with just strawberries or blueberries, little of this and a little of that. Yum!

Onto the fun of crafting, As I had mentioned before about how I had enjoyed the tutorial that Knickertwist had shared with the understanding that items would not be sold I had my favorite neighbor to make our own fairy habitats. Making Cotteges and mushrooms is so relaxing and calming, lovely little gifts for fun.  Here are some pics of our handy work:

We've got stumps, stones, moss, rocks, lovely found items, twigs, mushrooms, magic beans.

Teeny pine cones and a fairy pool in an acorn half.

Keep on stitching, I'll get back to mine soon and take more progress pics once I have made some... progress.  >^_^<